Analysis of monotherapy prostate brachytherapy in patients with prostate cancer. Initial PSA and Gleason are important for recurrence?

Purpose To evaluate the clinical outcome of a cohort of localized prostate cancer patients treate with 125-I permanent brachytherapy at the São José Hospital – CHLC, Lisbon. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on 429 patients with low and intermediate-risk of prostate adenocarcinoma, according to the recommendations of the EORTC, who underwent 125I brachytherapies in intraoperative dosimetry “real-time” system between September 2003 and September 2013. Results The mean follow-up was 71.98 months. Biochemical relapse of disease by rising PSA (Phoenix criterion) was observed in 18 patients (4.2%). Through the application of Kaplan-Meier survival curves in this sample, the rate of survival at 6 years without biochemical relapse was higher than 95%. By Iog rank test comparing biochemical relapse with initial PSA (15-10 and <10) and Gleason values (7 and <7), there was no statistical difference (P=0.830) of the initial PSA in the probability of developing biochemical relapse. In relation to Gleason score, it was noted a statistical difference (P<0.05), demonstrating that patients with Gleason 7 are more likely to develop biochemical relapse. Conclusions Brachytherapy as monotherapy is at present an effective choice in the treatment of localized prostate adenocarcinoma. Biochemical relapses are minimal. The initial PSA showed no statistically difference in the rate of relapses, unlike the value Gleason, where it was demonstrated that patients with Gleason 7 have a higher probability of biochemical relapse. Cases with PSA bounce should be controlled before starting a salvage treatment. .

Genetic polymorphisms and asthma: findings from a case - control study in the Madeira island population

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a complex disease influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. While Madeira has the highest prevalence of asthma in Portugal (14.6%), the effect of both genetic and environmental factors in this population has never been assessed. We categorized 98 asthma patients according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, established their sensitization profile, and measured their forced expiratory volume in 1second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) indexes. Selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analysed as potential markers for asthma susceptibility and severity in the interleukin 4 (IL4), interleukin 13 (IL13), beta-2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2), a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33), gasdermin-like (GSDML) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) genes comparatively to a population reference set. RESULTS: Although mites are the major source of allergic sensitization, no significant difference was found amongst asthma severity categories. IL4-590*CT/TT and IL4-RP2*253183/183183 were found to predict the risk (2-fold) and severity (3 to 4-fold) of asthma and were associated with a lower FEV1 index. ADRB2-c.16*AG is a risk factor (3.5-fold), while genotype GSDML-236*TT was protective (4-fold) for moderate-severe asthma. ADAM33-V4*C was associated to asthma and mild asthma by the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). Finally, ADAM33-V4*CC and STAT6-21*TT were associated with higher sensitization (mean wheal size ≥10mm) to house dust (1.4-fold) and storage mite (7.8-fold). CONCLUSION: In Madeira, IL4-590C/T, IL4-RP2 253/183, GSDML-236C/T and ADAM33-V4C/G SNPs are important risk factors for asthma susceptibility and severity, with implications for asthma healthcare management.